A comprehensive analysis of the Air Bud franchise

It’s now a full 20 years since Walt Disney Pictures unleashed their sports-mad pooch protagonist on the world. To mark this cultural milestone, we decided to watch all five original Air Bud films back-to-back (NB: this excludes the seven Air Buddies sequels, which focus on the exploits of Buddy’s puppies, as well as the Santa Paws Christmas spin-offs.) What follows is a deep analysis of said series, with a definitive ranking at the end.

Air Bud (1997)

00:01:30 – During the opening credits sequence, a clapped-out clown car rolls into what appears to be a bucolic Seattle suburb. A sign reads, ‘Welcome to Fernfield: Where Everything is Possible’. The car pulls up outside a kid’s birthday party. A disgruntled clown emerges, as does Buddy dressed in a rather fetching red-and-white polka dot number. The clown threatens Buddy.

00:04:55 – The party is a total disaster and, somewhat unfairly, the blame is placed squarely on Buddy. On the road out of town, Buddy’s cage falls off the back of the trailer. An SUV rams the cage, freeing Buddy. A kid looks on from the back seat, clearly bemused. It’s not every day you see a dog in a clown costume.

00:07:58 – The kid’s name is Josh Framm (Kevin Zeggers). During a conversation between Josh’s mother, Jackie (Wendy Makkena), and the Fernfield High principal it is revealed that the Framms are new in town, and that Josh has been depressed ever since his father died in a test pilot accident.

00:12:08 – Josh discovers an abandoned basketball court.

00:14:58 – Despite his clear lack of ability, Josh tries out for the school basketball team. Coach Barker (Stephen E Miller) offers a few words of inspiration: “If you can win on the court, you can win in life.”

00:17:25 – While getting in some much-needed practice, Josh spots Buddy hiding in the bushes. His once gleaming clown costume has been reduced to soiled rags, alluding to the hard times he’s fallen upon. Buddy’s waggy disposition contradicts this stark mood.

00:19:12 – Back at home, Josh appears distracted.

00:19:50 – Ignorant of the fact that some dogs are lactose intolerant, Josh lures Buddy with a trail of vanilla pudding.

01:18:51 – With the Timberwolves down 20 points with seven minutes remaining, Buddy makes a late entrance and is immediately brought on for a game-changing cameo.

01:20:50 – The squad number on Buddy’s jersey is ‘K9’.

01:24:47 – Buddy makes a free throw, but drags his hind paws over the free throw line while the ball is mid-flight, making it a foul shot. Somehow the officials fail to spot the call.

01:25:10 – Buddy makes the second free throw, but again jumps across the line before the ball hits the basket. What game are these officials watching?!

01:25:48 – Article 4.3.2 of the International Basketball Federation official rulebook states that each team member must wear a shirt, shorts and socks. Buddy lacks two of the three required items of uniform, thus putting him in clear violation of this rule.

01:26:25 – Josh scores a buzzer-beater to win the game.

01:27:45 – The Framms are awarded full custody of Buddy following a bitter legal dispute. Outside the courtroom, Buddy savagely attacks the clown.

01:34:30 – The credits roll. In the pantheon of ‘animals playing sports’ movies, Air Bud unquestionably raised the bar.

Air Bud: Golden Receiver (1998)

00:00:31 – A stock establishing shot reveals that we’re back in Fernfield.

00:03:12 – Josh (Kevin Zegers), now in his early teens, attends a professional basketball game with his mother Jackie (Cynthia Stevenson) and sister Andrea (Alyson MacLaren). Buddy is left in the car, but quickly escapes and finds his way into the arena, whereupon he wreaks havoc.

00:06:09 – A friend of Josh’s tells him that high school chicks dig football players. Josh briefly entertains the notion of trying out for the team.

00:25:11 – Concerned by his lack of wag, Josh takes Buddy to the local vet, Dr Patrick (Gregory Harrison), who is now dating Jackie. In real life, Buddy the dog died of a rare form of soft tissue cancer on 10 February, 1998 (Wikipedia states that he died peacefully in his sleep). From Golden Receiver onwards, the role of Buddy was played by various Golden Retriever dog actors. This sequel is dedicated to his memory.

00:27:47 – Buddy reveals that his aptitude for basketball also applies to football.

00:29:39 – A bureaucratic faculty member expresses concern that the football team hasn’t had a winning season in 10 years. If only they could find a secret weapon…

00:35:55 – Josh’s big moment arrives when the starting quarterback dislocates his shoulder in the opening game of the season. Josh gets sacked on the very first play and the opposition runs in the resulting fumble for a touchdown.

00:36:31 – On the next play, Buddy saves Josh’s blushes by making a stunning catch. The crowd goes berserk.

00:45:10 – In game two, Buddy — sporting a Timberwolves jersey and retro leather helmet — rushes for 72 yards, makes four receptions, forces two fumbles and scores three touchdowns.

00:50:43 – The film’s tagline, ‘Just Dog It’, is a play on Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ slogan.

00:51:33 – The Timberwolves breeze through the playoffs via a euphoric montage.

00:59:16 – This is really starting to drag now. Perhaps thinking of dog-related puns of famous footballer’s names will help pass the time…

01:00:01 – The puppies are stolen by a pair of heartless goons. Their motivations are vague.

01:02:50 – At the league championship game between the Timberwolves and the Springbrook Spartans, former United States women’s national soccer team goalkeeper Briana Scurry is introduced to the crowd. Buddy, Josh and Emma are conspicuous by their absence.

01:04:36 – Stan Colliemore, Spaniel Sturridge, Emile Husky…

01:06:25 – Against the run of play, the Timberwolves take the lead.

01:11:20 – After the bad guys have an unexplained change of heart, the puppies are saved and our all-star trio head to the stadium.

01:13:17 – Buddy is promptly subbed on and buries a header into the top corner with seconds left on the clock.

01:15:00 – Four months later at the Women’s World Cup, team USA edge out Norway in a tournament deciding penalty shootout. The winning save is pulled off by – you guessed it – Buddy. Who needs opposable thumbs when you’ve got a winning spirit, eh?

01:18:24 – You know the feeling when something you enjoyed as a kid turns out to be really, really bad for you, like Sunny D and Rolf Harris? This is rapidly becoming one of those moments.

Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch (2002)

00:00:12 – The first post 9/11 Air Bud opens with a harrowing scene in which Buddy, dressed as a firedog, heroically drags injured civilians from the burning rubble of the World Trade Center. Just kidding, it’s more of the same.

00:01:32 – A pair of cartoonishly evil scientists hatch a plan to harness the “super sporting gene” from Buddy and his puppies with a view to marketing it as a new performance enhancing drug.

00:03:46 – Picnic time with the Framms. Josh (Kevin Zegers) appears to have a new stepfather, although no one mentions anything about this.

00:32:38 – Buddy’s basketball ace pup, Shooter, is shown wearing sweatbands while taking part in a pick-up game. As everyone knows, Dogs don’t sweat, so this is presumably a fashion choice.

00:35:17 – Buddy reveals himself to be a world-class baseball player, to the surprise of no one.

00:36:12 – Sheriff Bob (Patrick Cranshaw, who played Joseph “Blue” Pulaski in Old School) is alerted to the disappearance of Shooter.

00:37:30 – The film’s title is a reference to a spectator tradition known as the seventh-inning stretch, where fans stand up and stretch out their arms and legs between the halves of the seventh inning of a game.

00:38:44 – After her friend Tammy (Chantal Strand) picks up an injury, Andrea seals her place in the Timberwolves starting roster during the obligatory winning-streak montage sequence.

00:42:29 – Must remember to cancel that monthly donation to Dogs Trust.

00:46:12 – When three more puppies, Striker, Shaq and Tango, go missing, a concerned Buddy decides to take matters into his own paws.

00:48:34 – Andrea and Buddy find time to hit the practice field.

00:50:14 – Wait, weren’t there six puppies originally? What happened to the other two?

00:53:12 – Buddy puts his ongoing domestic crisis aside to help the Timberwolves to a narrow victory over their local rivals, boosting their play-off hopes.

00:59:47 – Rocky the racoon’s sinister intent is reinforced.

01:06:42 – Buddy is reunited with his pups. Unfortunately, this occurs in the scientists’ trailer/laboratory.

01:09:28 – The Timberwolves are down 4-0 in the junior championship game. Even the previously animated commentator appears to be losing interest.

01:11:50 – Andrea rescues Buddy and the puppies, no thanks to Sheriff Bob. She and Tammy race across town to rejoin the team.

01:15:16 – Some sloppy play by the opposition infield allows the Timberwolves back into the game.

01:13:28 – Despite being a family film, Seventh Inning Fetch features prominent advertising for Bud Light, who at this point have all but missed the opportunity to cash-in on the franchise’s popularity.

01:19:20 – The Timberwolves are down four in the ninth. They’re going to need a miracle to win this one…

01:24:56 – Josh returns home from college just in time to watch Andrea ding one way downfield to clinch the game for the Timberwolves.

01:27:40 – In a familiar coda, Buddy is drafted to the Los Angeles-based Anaheim Angels. In his rookie season he leads them to the World Series and – after making a final-out catch from first base – is named MVP.

01:28:50 – Seventh Inning Fetch is surely the nadir of the Air Bud franchise.

Air Bud: Spikes Back (2003)

00:01:12 – Having mastered the three most popular sports in America — and soccer — Buddy is ready for a new challenge. The opening credit sequence promises a special guest appearance from professional volleyball player, swimwear model and sometime actress Gabrielle Reece.

00:03:49 – In keeping with series tradition, Spikes Back features two buffoonish male villains, here posing as emergency plumbers. This time, however, they’re not after Buddy but an enormous diamond.

00:06:37 – One possible explanation for the subtle narrative variation throughout the Air Bud franchise is that the clown put Buddy in a coma at the start of the first movie, and everything that happens subsequently is merely a projection of an elaborate dream loop. That, or it’s just lazy screenwriting.

00:12:28 – Andrea (Katija Pevec) bids a teary farewell to Tammy (Chantal Strand), who is relocating to San Diego with her family.

01:26:40 – In spite of obvious budget cuts and a complete absence of nuance, Spikes Back is something of a return to form for the Air Bud series. That said, it’s not a patch on the original, though in all honesty everything beyond that blurred into a seemingly endless aversion therapy session.

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Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.